Page 11 of First Offense

A growl tore through my chest before I could stop it. I clenched my hands so tightly my nails bit into my skin.

Oh, I’d received that message loud and clear.Mine.

We’ll see,I said back to him with my eyes. Because I didn’t sense a mating bond between them. Just general interest. Because she was compatible with him, too.

Given my past with the Nora Warrior, that wasn’t surprising.

“It would be so much easier if I could just kill her,” Raven whispered mournfully.

I cut my gaze to the female beside me. “I don’t recommend it.”

Not only would it create a severe conflict of interest—whereby I would be forced to choose between the life of a potential mate over the life of my cousin’s mate—but Auric would destroy her. Raven might be strong for an eighteen-year-old angel, but she wouldn’t stand a chance against the practiced Nora Warrior. Neither would Zian or Sorin.

No, if it came down to a fight, it’d be between me and Auric.

Because I was the only one aware of his true weakness.

Raven crossed her arms over her chest with a petulant ruffle of her feathers, then turned her glare on the princess.

She stood at the edge of the field now, her eyes on the labyrinth in the distance. Auric’s jaw tensed as he watched, making me curious.

Were you not aware of Sayir’s penchant for games, old friend?I thought at him.Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you were. You’re a Nora Warrior. All you live for is death.

The princess gasped as an inmate fell prey to the spike trap, then she backed away from the fence, bumping into Auric. The Nora Warrior slid an arm around her shoulders and pivoted her until she was no longer facing the labyrinth, his face grim.

Is that for show?I wondered.Or are you truly bothered by the fate you left so many to?

His focus shifted suddenly to the side, just a hairsbreadth of a second before I heard the approach of engines in the distance.

Oh? Is it finally time to play?

Sorin and Zian had warned me about the cullings and battles—something that had been a common occurrence throughout my time in solitary—but I hadn’t yet been given the privilege of drawing blood. Apart from my initial landing in this hellhole, anyway. Apparently, I’d killed too many inmates. Solitary with a bunch of insane demons had been my punishment.

“How many can I kill?” I asked Zian as black feathers began to rain from the sky above.

Zian whistled long and low. “I don’t know. That’s quite a crowd.”

Sorin grunted. “Noir seem to be Falling like rain lately.”

“Or maybe they’re all being sent here for a reason,” Raven said in a low voice. “For Reformer kind of reasons.”

Yes. I suspected she was right, because there were at least twice as many Noir coming down right now, in comparison to the day I’d initially arrived. And they were all angling directly for the courtyard.

Hmm, a quick mental count of cells and beds told me the prison was already almost at capacity. And I doubted the guards intended for anyone to sleep on the floor.

Well, they might.

But they wouldn’t want to feed us all.

Looks like I’m about to experience my first real culling. That death duel when I first arrived didn’t really count.

I stood to loosen up, ready to play. Beside me, Zian and Sorin did the same and closed in around Raven protectively.

Sorin rolled his neck. “Buckle up, little dove.”

Raven flashed a feral grin. “I could use some action.”

Zian slid his finger down her back between her wings, a glint in his eye. “Don’t we give you more than enough, sweet bird?”